Single-domain antibodies for biomedical applications

Abstract

Single-domain antibodies are the smallest antigen-binding units of antibodies, consisting either only of one variable domain or one engineered constant domain that solely facilitates target binding. This class of antibody derivatives comprises naturally occurring variable domains derived from camelids and sharks as well as engineered human variable or constant antibody domains of the heavy or light chain. Because of their high affinity and specificity as well as stability, small size and benefit of multiple re-formatting opportunities, those molecules emerged as promising candidates for biomedical applications and some of these entities have already proven to be successful in clinical development.

• Antibody engineering
• antibody fragment
• heavy chain antibody
• single chain binding domain
• IgNAR
• VHH

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

This work was partially funded by a PhD fellowship of the Merck’sche Gesellschaft für Kunst und Wissenschaft to Stefan Zielonka. Also, supported in part by Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in frame of the consortium Nanokat.